Push is on to cut Florida property taxes. Who's helped and who's hurt?

"Florida lawmakers are navigating a political minefield: whether to radically reshape or even eliminate property taxes that cities and counties use to pay for critical services, including police and fire-rescue. "This is a shift in the paradigm," state Rep. Griff Griffitts, a Panama City Beach Republican, said as lawmakers wrapped up two days of in-depth hearings on the issue. "We have to figure it out, doing (so) in a very conscientious way.""

"What, if anything, to do around property taxes involves a thicket of complicated policy questions: - How to pay for services - including public safety and schools. - Whether some property owners are paying too much in property taxes. - Trying to determine if local governments are wise stewards of tax money or profligate spenders. - What taxes could be increased if property taxes are reduced."

""I felt like at the end of it, people came with preconceived ideas and left with those ideas - and didn't allow themselves to be swayed with any of the information that was presented," said state Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a Palm Beach County Democrat."

Lawmakers are considering sweeping changes to the property tax system that currently funds cities, counties and school districts, including possible elimination of property taxes. The core issues include replacing revenue for police, fire-rescue, schools and other local services, assessing whether some property owners pay too much, and evaluating local government stewardship of tax dollars. House hearings explored trade-offs among service reductions, increased fees or other tax changes, and political ramifications. Some legislators remained anchored to prior views and struggled with technical details, while others called for cautious, conscientious policymaking to avoid large budget shortfalls.

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